Because Of A Letter
by Cobek Arabellum
Summary: What if Harry Potter wasn't his name? What if Voldemort did die? What if Hogwarts was just a school to learn at with no weird stuff-except magic. Essentially a fic were HP lives the life of a growing teen. Holden(Harry)/Daphne
1. New life

A boy with black hair trembled as he held his knees in the darkness.

Sitting under the stair way. This was his room, nothing unusual about that. He was sent with out lunch again today. Probably no supper either. Nothing unusual about that either. It happened often enough.

This time however he didn't know why he was sent to the cupboard. He hadn't done anything this time he'd simply gave uncle Vernon the mail. Not five minutes later he was yanked from making the family lunch and shoved into the cupboard.

And so he sat, unsure of what he'd done wrong. Only hoping that he wouldn't be punished like last time. No food was managable for the young boy but a fractured cheek and jaw bone was something else entirely moving his mouth hurt considerably more then hunger pangs.

In the midst of his wonderings the boy over heard yelling. Leaning forward he caught tidbits of the arguments taking place between Vernon and his aunt Petunia. With his ear flush to the cupboard door.

"I knew that freak wasn't worth raising!" The boy could imagine his uncle's face as purple as could be. Ripe with anger as the voice reached his ears.

"Vernon dear we knew the freak would eventually bring us trouble. But we agreed to take the money." The boy raised an eyebrow at that.

"Gah, what do we do, one of those _freaks_ is coming! _Here_!"

To the boy's suprise nobody was given a chance to talk after Vernon's last sentence. A loud slam was heard as the front door roughly smacked into the wall behind it.

A loud shriek of terror was heard from Vernon as a third voice introduced itself.

"Where-is-he?"

The boy leaned away from the door. Who ever this person was it was a she, her voice was of a low but still clearly feminine tone. However the lowness could be explained by the fury in her voice as well.

"Don't make me repeat my self."

The boy new a threat when he heard it, Vernon had spoken like that many times to him when ever he did something wrong.

To his suprise a few seconds later the door was opened by a tall woman with flame red hair. To his amazement the hair turned to a different vibrant colour. A shade he remembered being called 'pink'.

The boy quickly fell backward as he tried to stay away from this woman. She would probably beat him too. With a saddened voice she looked into the boy's hetero chromatic eyes. One a pale red and the other a rich gold.

"There, there Holden I'm not here to hurt you." At the words she spoke she stopped and he saw here eyes looked at his lower face.

Red took over as her hair became a sea of flame, she quickly spun on her heel a strange stick pointed to his relatives. It would seem the stick was dangerous as the moment it was waved in Vernon and Petunia's direction they screamed. "I should hex you into oblivion for harming the poor boy."

Turning once more she waved the stick at him and he felt the pain from his mouth dim. It didn't go away completely but it felt much better then before.

The girl inched closer to him, so he flinched in response. She pulled back a bit at the reaction, smiling. "It is alright Holden. I am Nymphadora Tonks. I've come to take you away from this horrible place."

The boy's eyes were hesitant, nigh paralyzed in fear at such closeness from a stranger. The eyes were quickly filled to the brim with tears as he hugged the woman. The woman, Nymphadora, wrapped her arms around him. She patted his back gently, soothing the boy as he cried in her arms.

Pulling back the woman looked at the two _humans_ before her and the boy. She stood the boys hand in her's.

"You should be ashamed. To enslave a boy of a mere ten years of age. To rob him of any semblance of a natural, normal life." The woman raised the hand with the strange stick, red and gold watched as the skin turned to a pale shade and took a crystaline gleam too it.

With quick speed and brutality she punched the fat one in the face right were the mark on the young boy had been. The fat man cried out in pain as he fell too the floor, Petunia kneeling at his side.

Nymphadora shook her hand of the blood her hand had drawn. She then looked too the boy, his face twisted with glee at the fact that he saw the fat man feeling pain just like he had forced unto him the night before.

She squeezed his hands before walking, pulling him along gently. As they exited the boy spoke for the first time since he could remember. "You hurt him, like he hurt me...thank you."

Frowning at the choice of words she squeezed the boys hand one final time before they disappeared into the night.

* * *

Holden Paeice stared at the letter in his hand, it was one he'd been waiting for since he was first told of the other half of the world in which he lived. The world of magic, the world of which he was born in.

The world he had come to love so much.

Nymphadora Tonks had saved him from his cruel _relatives_. She had been the family he had always wanted and craved. She had gladly adopted him as a brother. But not just from wanting but by law.

A week before Holden had ever even met her, Nymphadora had gotten a letter from a owl she had never met before. When she opened it she had immediately noticed the sender, Gringotts.

With astonishment she kept reading. She had found she was to visit the bank in regards to a Will from one Sirius Black.

And such she had gone there.

Her distant relative had, before the dread full night of October 31st, written a Will in case things had become to danger for his health. He had left the title of heir to the Black name. The animagus had left instructions that should he die the Will was to be enacted, and that in the event he was not able too pass on the Will or say otherwise by Holden James Paeice's 11th birthday. He would become the head and house of the Black family and its vault at Gringotts.

Within the Will left he had ordered that his cousins the Tonks' were to ensure the boys well being by becoming the child's guardians until any scenario of the will was taken care of. This was his authority to give as the boy's godfather and magical guardian in the case of Lilith and James death.

Nymphadora had found that in the incident surrounded the incarceration of Sirius Black all funds had been frozen along with any marriage contracts, business investments, and any other financial involements. This had put the Will in the back files untill two days prior to her getting the letter.

As her parents had both been killed by remnant Death Eaters two years after Voldemort's death she was the last of the Tonks. Thus the letter had found its way to them. Using her ties as an Auror she had found that the child of the Will's concern had been living with muggle relatives. She, as trained by Alastor Moody, had been patient and observed the family.

She had sent a letter to them know that she would be coming the next night of the letter's arrival. With no hesitation she had broken down their door and demanded to know where the boy was.

From then on she had raised the boy as a little brother for the next year. She had educated him as best she could, fed him well, and cared for him as if he had always been a part of her family.

So with obvious joy she had treated him to his favorite foods in celebration at his joining Hogwarts the upcoming September.

Cherry pie covered in cherries, garlic bread covered with many delicious spices and seasonings, and mustard meatloaf. Tonks had once again outdone herself.

Nymphadora smiled at Holden as they watched people walk about running to trains at last minute. She was hit by a wave of Nastalgia. She could remember when it was her walking through that barrier. Her first time buying something from the trolley that went up and down the train.

Now Holden would get the chance to experience such wonderment.

As they walked through the magical barrier Holden spoke with curiosity she had been waiting to hear.

"What house do you think I'll be in sis?"

Tonks smiled at him, kneeling in front of him. "Weeell, I was in Hufflepuff. My mother was a Slytherin...just like all of the Blacks. But save for one. Sirius, he was in Gryffindor." She ruffled his hair. "Well your certainly smark...Ravenclaw is possible. You pretty confident,"

Her smiled dimmed, "But your not nearly as outgoing as need be to qualify as a 'puff. Your also very ambitious and cunning. Perfect Slytherin material."

Tonks giggle lightly at Holden's look of dismay at the statement. "But not all Slytherin are bad. I know my mother wasn't, theres also the Zabini's they have always taken their pureblood status with what it means. Absolutely nothing. I know there are a few more families and single members that weren't bad."

The trains whistle blew as a conductor called the last few minutes to board.

Kissing the boy's forehead one last time she gave some more token advice to try and ease his worry.

"Hey don't worry about it. If you really do end up in Slytherin think of it this way, you can change it around. Make it a truly respectable house. Now go on, get a nice seat and find a cute girl to hang around."

Holden blushed at the words, but nodded none the less.

He turned around and rushed up to the nearest car. When he was in he needed to take a moment to memorize it, this was the true start of his life. He was saved by Nymphadora and was informed of his most likely future. Holden was surely impressed by what he'd been told but to experience to be taken part in it.

"Wicked..."

He was broken by his thoughts as a redheaded kid with freckles shoved past him. He grabbed his trunk again and tugged it along looking into all of the rooms, eventually finding an empty room.

He grabbed a his robes, tossed them on and with a grunt struggled to place his trunk above the seats, as he was doing this two girls leaned their heads into the compartment.

"Is it cool if we sit here? This is the only compartment that didn't have more then two people."

He pushed one last time getting the trunk secured, turning around he saw two girls just shorter then him, and if he was to guess she was the same age as them. First years like him.

The one that had spoken was a pale girl with platinum blonde hair that went to her shoulders, she had jade green eyes like they were two priceless emeralds.

The other was a fair skinned girl with straight brown hair that went to a few inches below her shoulders. She had brown eyes that matched her hair.

The girl with blonde hair looked straight back into his.

"You have cool eyes!"

Her companion nodded in agreement. Not that they knew what it was called by Heterochromia was rare. Even more rare was the colouring it was red which while not uncommon wasn't very frequent either. But gold, that was exceedingly rare to see.

Ignoring the comment/complement he waved his hand to the other side of the compartment. Thought a bit hesitant. His sister had told him that he was famous in the wizarding world. That Voldemort had perished somehow trying to kill him. The fame was annoying in his opinion.

"Yea, sure I don't mind."

Nodding at him with smiles they stowed away their luggage and sat down.

After a few minutes of silence the blonde spoke up first, raising her hand.

"I am Daphne Greengrass, and this is my bestfriend Tracey Davis."

Holden nodded with a small smile, "I'm Holden Paeice nice to meet you two." As he'd expected they both dropped jaw at the revelation the one, Daphne, reacted less too it however.

He shook her hand breaking her shock. He felt a brief warmth at the touch, her hand gentle yet firm in its grip.

She smiled at him even brighter when she saw the look of annoyance to their reaction. "Sorry about that we heard that you'd be joining Hogwarts this year. But hadn't expected too run into you like this."

He nodded briskly feeling a further sense of annoyance at her. He knew this would happen eventually.

What came after he didn't expect.

"Well, now that we know each other's names would you like to be our friend?" Looking back into her eyes he could feel that her words were truthful, and felt sincere. Just another kid looking to be nice and make another friend.

He nodded, and smiled back.

"I'd like that."


	2. The Sorting

"So the chocolate frog's leg were still kicking when mum was just swallowing the first half. She almost choked because she couldn't get it to stop!" Tracey laughed out with Daphne as she recalled attempt at a chocolate frog eating challenge.

The first years had been led separatey to the castle via the water led by a giant of a man named Rubeus Hagrid. The whole way through kids where chittering and chattering up a storm.

Mid way up the steps a stern looking woman appeared. The look on her face silenced all children even Tracey. The woman in question nodded to the tall man.

"That will be all Hagrid I'll take it from here."

The large man nodded. As the woman began the orientation.

"Children follow me."

The woman then started finishing the rest of the hike up the stairs. As she did students started following after here. After hitting the second level of the stairs Daphne nudged Holden in the shoulder.

"Holden...um..."

Red and gold met green as the first years kept walking up to the large set of doors.

Smiling the boy gave her a quick hug.

"I'm sure you'll do great in whatever house your sorted into."

Nodding they parted as Tracey started teasing her.

It stopped as soon as the doors opened to reveal the Great Hall. Four long tables spaned the length of the hall littered with empty plates, platters and cups of all kinds. Children of varying ages sat at their respective house tables. Slythering on the far left, next to that was the loud Gryffindors followed by the Hufflepuffs and then lastly the Ravenclaws.

Holden's eyes continued to glance around the room. After wondering enough he found his eyes resting on a stool with a normal looking tattered hat. _Must be the sorting hat Tonks was speaking about._

Standing in a single file line now, the students throughout the hall fell silent. After the hat finished singing McGonagall began reading from a paper. Calling out names.

"Bones, Susan!"

A pale redheaded child walked forward before sitting her self on the stool, a few seconds later the hats mouth bellowed out.

"Hufflepuff!"

As the line got shorter Holden got closer to being picked.

"Davis, Tracey!"

Watching as his brunette friend walked forward he felt anxious.

"Slytherin!"

Holden felt a brief nudge from Daphne accompanied by a smile. The flames of the torches on the walls and the candles flickered as two more names were called and sorted.

"Thomas, Dean!"

An dark skinned boy walked forward with confidence.

"Gyffindor!"

The children at the table cheered at the new Gryffindor. With little reprieve another name was called out as soon as Dean took his seat.

"Boot, Terry!"

"Ravenclaw!"

Holden gulped as another person was sorted.

"Greengrass," Holden looked at his friend as a smile lit up on her face. "Daphne!"

The hat took a while before picking her house. The girls face seemed scrunched up in thought. But before long it did indeed decide.

"Slytherin!"

That word made Holden freeze up with a small worth of panic. Both of the people he'd just befriended were placed in the house he was most hesitant to join. Was life always intending to screw him over? The only, _only _good thing to happen to him was Tonks. She was the only thing worth living for in his life.

But then he'd become friends with Tracey and Daphne. In his worry he'd barely heard 'Ravenclaw' be called out.

"Paeice, Holden!"

Whispers filled the hall at the name.

His fame.

It was always about his fame. Never himself. He hated it.

But then...Daphne didn't care she'd made that seemingly clear. She treated him just like she'd done with her childhood friend Tracey.

His brief thoughts ended as he took his steps. Sat on the stool. He nearly jumped up as he heard a voice in his head.

_Hmmm, yes, I feel much potential in you boy. You have a drive for power. Oooh yes power. Your right smart too aren't you. But I feel a thirst for love. Mmmm, you crave to be wanted. Your care little for what others think, but yet..._

Holden gulped as the Sorting hat took his time to think. As he kept talking he couldn't help but agree. His early life was full of nothing but hate and abuse, but then out of left field...Nymphadora had shown up at the door step to save him from the darkness.

At first, yes, he was skeptical of this total stranger. But with time he had given in to his want of love and family. He wanted to feel the care that a sister would give. The embaressment sibling teasing would cause.

_...All you want is acceptance and love. I shouldn't be telling you this but...that Greengrass girl...she seemed pretty fond of you even went as far as to say that if I didn't say Slythering she'd find a way to light me on fire. Oh yes, she didn't want to get separated from her other friend either. What's your opinion boy?_

Holden raised a hat covered eyebrow. _You mean I have a say in this?_

Chuckling the hat's tone sounded as if he was nodding. _Oh my yes, but don't tell anyone! I can feel you want to stay friends with the two. If it eases your apprehention boy, just because most Slytherin are evil doesn't mean they all are, infact Salazar wasn't evil at all he was cunning and ambitious but he wasn't evil or foul like the Malfoy's._

Holden's eyes widened a bit. They weren't all evil? _So it isn't bad to end up in Slytherin?_

Humming in agreement the had spoke with that nodding tone. _ My word no, do you think all Hufflepuffs are saints? That all Ravenclaw's are bookworms? No boy they all follow basic requirements that eclipse their other traits._

The conversation wasn't unnoticed by others, to avoid curiosity he gave a low grunt, "Hmm yes very difficult indeed."

_All house follow atleast one base trait. Slytherin is about cunning, ambition. Hufflepuff is about determination, socializing enjoyment. Ravenclaw is about smarts, intelligence, and Gryffindors are confident and courageous like a lion. You boy have all of these traits, well except socialising. So if you have no rejections I know just where to put you boy._

"SLYTHERIN!"

Holden's sight was granted as Mcgonagall removed the hat. When it was visible only four people were clapping everyone else was silent with shock.

Daphne had forgone clapping and was waving him towards her and Tracey. With a slowly growing smile he joined them. When he sat down Dumbledore had stood up. Gaining everyone's attention he began his speech.

"I welcome you new faces to Hogwarts. Now I would like you all to give a warm welcome to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Miss Nymphadora Tonks."

Holden's mouth dropped open. She was a teacher?! Looking up to the newly presented teacher he caught her eyes looking back at him with a knowing look. And winked.

Daphne noticed the lack of applause from Holden but pushed it away when she saw him start to smile and clap with the rest of the students.

Holden was enjoying the way things were turning out. Even if being in Slytherin turned out to be a horrible experience at least he had Tonks nearby.

_Maybe I was blowing things out of proportion._


End file.
